


To the Ends of the Earth

by svntax



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: 7 months and 50 revisions later the story you are looking at now was finished, F/F, MY AU DEBUT, also how funny is it that i drafted this while in church back in like. october, and i decided, and i even began world-building and writing more of the story, and i'm glad to have friends to help with this LOL cause i feel so clueless half the time, and i'm just so proud of how it's turning out cause, and the first prompt i got was "tangle wants to hunt demons and whisper IS a demon", anywaaaaaay hope you enjoy this cause i really do-, anyway now i'm done tagging bye, anyway who knows how long this series will be, eh let's try it why not?, i literally can't world-build for shet, okay enough tagging BYE ILY ALL, one of whom is a demon, so basically i found a random OTP prompt generator, this specific entry is only 3 chapters long as i imagined it originally like a prologue, to the main story, writing about two lesbians in church, yeah - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 08:41:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30052848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/svntax/pseuds/svntax
Summary: The very thing she was fighting turned out to be so much closer to home than she thought.
Relationships: Tangle the Lemur/Whisper the Wolf
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	1. How It Began

"Hey, Whisper, you gonna be long?"

Tangle stood in front of the bathroom door impatiently. Whisper was taking way too long in there and it didn't seem like she was gonna be out anytime soon.

Whisper's response was barely audible over the sound of the shower.

"No, I'll be out soon!"

It certainly didn't help that Whisper only, well, whispered.

When Whisper finally got out of the shower 10 minutes later, Tangle could barely suppress her annoyance. Their reservation at Rose's was in half an hour, and there was still so much to do. But as she began to turn the shower on, something caught her eye. She turned.

There, on the mirror above the sink, were a few droplets of something red.

Tangle watched as the red trailed down the glass, dropping off at the edge and falling onto the sleek white sheen of the sink. Her fingers drifted up towards the small drops, almost drawn to them.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed. Distracted momentarily, she turned it on. A text from Whisper:

"Hey, now YOU'RE taking too long."

She giggled.

"Okay, okay, you got me there. Will be out soon."

She took a towel and wiped the red away. It wasn't important.

-

"Could I get another basket of breadsticks, Casper?"

The waiter nodded and briskly walked over to the kitchen. Tangle had gone through three baskets already.

So far, the date was going smoothly.

"I still can't believe you made friends with the waiter, Tangle!"

"Well, look at him! He's just like me!"

As Whisper watched, Casper stretched his arm far out across the counter. Too far. He grabbed the breadsticks, then retracted his arm and dropped them into the basket. That counter was easily 7 feet across.

_What?_

Tangle was almost jumping out of her seat with glee. "See?? He's just like me!! I'm not alone out here!"

Whisper looked slightly troubled. She knew that physically, the lime-colored feline wouldn't normally be able to do that. She thought long and hard. _What would a reasonable explanation for this be? The chemical spill over at Beautown? Could be. Maybe he gained something from whatever they were keeping in there..._

A dangerous thought began to form in the corners of her mind. Could he be-

"Uh...do you need anything?"

She jumped. _Shit, I was staring!_ "Oh, uh...no, thanks."

Tangle looked at her sympathetically. As Casper put the breadsticks on the table, she asked a question. "Are you okay, Whisper? You've been acting strange ever since we got here."

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Is it the food? Maybe I asked for too many breadst-"

"Tangle." She giggled. "It's okay. Seriously."

Tangle visibly relaxed. "I must look like a mess right now, don't I?"

"You're my mess." And with that, she leaned over the table and gave her a big ol' smooch. She blushed and put her hand over her mouth.

Casper cleared his throat, and the girls jumped. "So, uh, you guys ready to order?"

-

The food was great, and the dessert better. As Tangle dove into her sundae, Whisper watched Casper clean the counter. His arms stretched the whole seven-foot-length, and he wiped the surface with little effort on his part. He seemed almost bored while doing it.

Whisper couldn't stand it any longer. She had to know.

She stood up. "Hey, I'm going to use the restroom real quick."

Tangle waved her assent, and Whisper began her walk towards the counter. Casper met her just as she reached it. "Oh, hey, anything I can do for you?"

His eyes went down to her breasts immediately. Typical. But it was what she wanted.

She watched as his eyes drifted to the necklace she was wearing. They widened. She was correct.

She whispered to him, "Meet me in the bathroom. Make sure no one follows you."

He nodded shakily. She turned on her heel and walked to the bathroom door, not looking back to see if he would follow.

She opened the door, then closed it and waited. A minute passed. Two.

Finally, the door opened. Casper walked in and closed the door silently. He immediately turned from the door and rushed over to Whisper. His hands clumsily grasped at the necklace. On it was an engraving of a face. A cat's, with vaguely demon shaped horns and a malicious grin on her face. A snake in the shape of an M. A symbol.

He stuttered. "Y-you...where'd you get this?

She sighed. "From my mother."

He let the pin go and began to pace. "So you're one of us. Fuck me...how'd you know?"

"It wasn't that hard. Your limb stretching. Tangle can stretch her tail, it's natural for a lemur like her. But you're a cat. Normally, a cat wouldn't be able to do that."

Casper sighed and shook his head. "Shit, you wonder how no one else figured it out. But...you really are-?"

"Yes, Casper. I'm a demon. From the Malarak family, specifically."

"Malarak? The rebels?"

Whisper stiffened.

Casper fished around in his pockets, then pulled a pocket watch out. On the cover was an engraving of a face. A wolf's face, with those same horns, steely glare, and a symbol in the upper-right-hand corner. A snake in the shape of an M.

Whisper looked up at him. "Holy shit, we're siblings."

They stared at each other, at a loss for words. Then they broke down into fits of laughter. The whole situation had just surpassed all levels of crazy.

A wheeze escaped from Casper before he somehow managed a few words: "You - you can't say it like that! What the fuck?!"

Whisper dropped to the floor, her stomach muscles cramping from the giggling.

As they recovered from their bout of laughter, Casper suddenly looked around, alert.

Whisper cocked her head. "What is it?"

He motioned for her to be quiet, then cocked his head towards the door. The sound of a motorcycle could be heard.

"Hear that? That's trouble."

"Casper, what do you m-"

He put his finger to her lips. "Listen to me. I know the sound of that bike. They're looking for rebels like us. Do you know how many of us are left? Not a lot. You take Tangle and you get her out of here. I'll send her here as soon as I get out there."

"What? But what about you?"

He stared at the door. "I can't leave this place. I promised Rose. I promised her..."

Tears filled his eyes. "I have to do this. They will wreck this place looking for us. You're here because you want a normal life. So go have one. Live with her, love the hell out of her. You won't get another chance."

And with that, he stood and opened the door.

-

Tangle absentmindedly played with her hair. _Man, Whisper is really taking a long time in the bathroom. And where did Casper go?_

A motorcycle pulled up to the nearly empty restaurant. She could see the silhouette of the rider, and boy were they big. But why would a biker be at a fancy restaurant like this?

Suddenly, Casper burst out of the bathroom. Tangle shot up in shock as he made a beeline for her table. _Why was he in there? Where was Whisper?_

He reached the table and spoke in a low, urgent voice. "You're in danger. You need to leave. Right now."

_Probably something to do with that biker outside._ She nodded shakily. "Where's Whisper?"

"In the bathroom. There's a secret exit in the storage backroom. It's hidden under a few pallets. Take her there, and don't look back."

"And how are you going to deal with that huge-ass biker?"

He smirked. "I'll manage." Then, he turned towards the front door. "Now, go! I'll be fine!"

Tangle hesitated a moment. Then she turned and ran towards the hall. At the end of it was a door labeled "BACKROOM". The women's bathroom was just to her right, and she opened it. Whisper was right there, hand clutching her necklace.

"Whisper! What the hell's going on?"

She jumped, as if deep in thought. Then, she stood. "Let's go."

She reached for the door and opened it. As they pushed out, a scream erupted from the dining area.

Casper's body flew into the hall, thrown against the wall. He slid down slowly. Tangle gasped in shock and horror.

Blood poured out of a wound in his chest, and his neck hung at an odd angle. His eyes were glazed over, his mouth open and slack. No doubt he was dead upon contact. Whatever had thrown him...

Tangle decided it wasn't worth finding out. She grabbed Whisper's hand and pulled her towards the backroom. The door closed behind them with a click.

-

That night, Rose's burned. The jewel of the city wilted and withered away under the flames, the bright colors faded to a smoky grey, until it was suddenly nothing at all.

The girls stood from afar, watching the flames rise higher and higher, and listening to the sirens wail across the city. The people would be one less rose from here on out.

Whisper stared at the whole scene, at a loss for words. Then, the tears began to flow. She stumbled, almost out of shock.

A hand grabbed hers and pulled her close. She sobbed into Tangle's chest. Their tears began to mix in the cold night air, and there they stayed until the cold became too much to bear.


	2. Afterburn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get heated here, in the way that only a demon can heat it.

“We are coming to you live with breaking news; the restaurant Rose’s, famed around the world for its delicious food as well as the mysterious circumstances regarding the disappearance of its former owner Rose Kasza, has burned down completely. Officials are still investigating what happened here tonight, but they have ruled out foul play for the time being. Of note is that two bodies have been discovered; that of a waiter and a cook. Their remains are still in the process of being identified. We’ll be updating you as the situation unfolds, but one thing’s for sure; the city will most certainly mourn the loss of the famed Rose Jewel of Northwood. This is Gill Levin, NNN News.”

The footage of the burning building was replaced with the news studio, and Tangle turned her eyes from it. Whisper was at the kitchen table, tea untouched, hands around her necklace. Tangle felt sympathy for her. When things looked dark, her hand always reached for the golden chain, dull from years of touch. The necklace, she was told, was a gift from her mother. She didn’t talk about family much.

Tangle got up from the couch and moved to the kitchen. She reached over and closed the curtain shades. Then, she poured a cup of coffee and sat next to Whisper.

Silence reigned, and Tangle overthrew it. “Are you okay?”

She nodded. No words came out. Tangle sighed.

It would be a long night, and longer still before tonight finally left their memory.

-

“You’re going to the church? You never struck me as a religious person.”

Tangle smiled. “It’s a complicated matter.”

Two weeks had passed since the fire. While Whisper seemed to have stopped whimpering at odd times of the night, Tangle still lay awake, every thought running through her head as fast as that Sonic guy on television. Mind dwelling on every detail like a bee to pollen on a flower. The huge biker. The breadsticks. Whisper’s dress. Whisper’s face. Casper’s broken corpse hitting the wall. All replayed over and over again until she felt as if she would burst. Sleep had been sparse recently.

But even as Tangle downed her fifth cup of coffee that morning, Whisper could see that her eyes were alight with a determined fire; one she hadn’t seen since they were kids.

Tangle pulled out her phone and handed it to Whisper. “Have a look at this.”

A news article was on the screen. The headline read in big bold letters, “VICTIMS OF ROSE FIRE IDENTIFIED, FOUL PLAY NOW SUSPECTED”.

“The two bodies discovered at the disastrous fire at Rose’s have been identified as Casper Akihito, 25, and Steven Ferguson, 47. Both were employed at Rose’s at the time of the fire, as confirmed by Northwood head of police John Warne and the son of the missing owner of Rose’s, Fletcher Kasza, in a press conference. In a statement, Akihito’s family has requested privacy for grieving, and to prepare for the funeral. Ferguson’s family could not be reached for comment.

Warne also requested help in identifying any potential witnesses to the fire, which is now suspected to be an act of arson.”

Whisper glazed over the rest of the article until the very end caused her heart to pause.

A picture of Casper’s necklace. Her necklace. The same symbol in the left corner. The man she saw. Her father. Those same red eyes she learned to hide early on. The caption read, “A necklace recovered at the scene near the body of Casper Akihito. Police have requested assistance from the public in identifying the symbols shown.”

Inwardly, Whisper couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Not a scratch on the necklace. Not even any warping from the heat. Demon’s gold was not something to be trifled with, and she once again marveled at its strength. Instinctively, her hand went to her own necklace.

Tangle took the phone out of her hand. “I did some research online. Apparently, the symbol is from some cult. A bunch of people who claim to be demons, responsible for 3 deaths this month alone. You’d think this would have more airwaves on the web, but it’s only on a few small sites. Hence the coffee.” She chuckled.

Whisper could only hope her necklace wasn’t visible. She took a deep breath. “So they’re a bunch of demons, supposedly. You do realize you’re just looking through deep-web conspiracy theory sites? What are the chances that it’s real?”

“Well, as it turns out...there’s someone in the area who supposedly has more info on what the necklace means. She thinks the demons are real. I know I sound super crazy right now, but...I don’t think it’d hurt to try. Find out if her words have any meaning. She asked to meet at the church.”

“Ironic, isn’t it?”

“Very. Still, I think it’s worth it. Want to come along?”

“Who are you even meeting?”

“She just said she was a priestess.”

Whisper stiffened. A priest of faith. She’d know everything. She couldn’t go. That damned priest would know just by looking at her. But if she didn’t go, the priestess would tell her what to look for. She couldn’t afford that. She loved Tangle more than anything, and the possibility of that changing sooner rather than later was not something she could handle.

Her heart began to pound. Thump. Thump. Skip. Thump. Everything felt slower, drawn-out like paragraphs and meaningless words. But she knew then what she had to do. She didn’t know if her lips would move to begin the work. Or if she would be able to make it before Tangle. Or if she could gather the necessary materials to kill the girl in time. Or if-

Her jaw suddenly loosened up. “I think I’ll stay behind. I’m not feeling too well this morning.” It wasn’t exactly a lie.

Tangle shrugged. “Your loss. Hopefully, I won’t be long. Don’t get yourself into trouble while I’m gone.”

She smiled. Then Whisper cracked a smile. Even in such adversity and despair, the small moments proved brighter than the flames of hell.

“I won’t. Promise.”

-

The priestess laid in her bed, deep in thought. It was a barren room that she inhabited. The girl did not need such bright colors. She was already a bright orange anyway, and her magic was the color of the ocean. She had plenty of light.

Her eyes closed, but her mind would not empty. She was about to meet someone. She was to teach her about their ways, how to hunt demons. How to recognize them from afar, and how to see through their illusions and falsehoods. It was going to be an eventful day.

A breeze filled the room, and Tikal sighed. How calming these last few days had been. She wondered whether things were ever going to speed up.

A thought wormed its way into her mind. The door and windows were locked. Where was that breeze coming from?

Her eyes shot open and she rolled over to avoid the blade that plunged down. The wolf that stood over her, her fur a light coffee brown, met her eyes. Tikal immediately tensed, ready to move at a moment’s notice. The wolf’s face contorted with anger. Her eyes, though they were a calm ocean blue, were alight with a burning, intense flame she hadn’t seen in years.

But it was not one of hatred. It was fear. Desperation. Though she had the element of surprise, she had cornered herself.

Quick as a snake, the wolf pulled the blade out of her mattress and plunged down again. Tikal simply weaved around it. She concentrated on the dagger. One breath in, one breath out.

The blade lifted itself out of her hands and flew into the wall. The would-be assailant stared at it in dismay. Then she turned and lunged.

For one moment, Tikal stared at the horrendous monster in front of her. It felt like time had deserted them, and Tikal could see every bit of fear in her eyes.

This girl was smart. A demon would be able to utilize fear and make themselves stronger. Tikal wondered how she was unable to see it before. One breath in, one breath out. But no magic appeared. Quick as a flash, the wolf’s hands shot out and grabbed her arms with a ferocity that shook even the calm Tikal. The thought flashed through her mind before she could stop it.

_I’m going to die here._

All her skills deserted her as panic took over. The wolf rammed her into the wall, knocking the breath out of the priestess. Snarls echoed and bounced off the walls, and it felt like she would be torn apart there and then.

“What the hell?!”

Both Tikal and her opponent turned to see the interruption. A ring-tailed lemur with purple eyes stood in the doorway, eyes filled with shock and dismay.

The wolf stiffened. Tikal could see her eyes were dark with horror. Who was this girl?

It didn’t matter. She wouldn’t have a chance again. One breath in, one breath out. Two bright blue magic hands erupted from her sides and grabbed the brown wolf. Restrained in mid-air, she could do nothing but struggle helplessly. Quick as a flash Tikal crossed the room and pulled the knife out of the wall.

“Tikal, what’s-”

“Thank Chaos you’re here. You wanted to kill demons right?”

“Wh- yeah, b-”

“Then here’s your chance. I’ll guide you through the movements, but you’ll have to deliver the blow yourself.”

The temperature dropped. Silence filled every corner of the room until it was deafening.

Tangle stared at Whisper. Whisper stared at Tangle. A world of pain lay between them, and neither of them could cross it to find the other.

Tangle spoke first. She stumbled over her words. Whisper’s heart broke with every fumble. She never stuttered or paused without any thought. 

“Wh-Whisper...what’s g-going on? I...surely you c-can’t be a, a…” She chuckled, almost out of desperation. “You couldn’t be. No, this...t-this must be some mistake.”

Tikal sucked in a breath. Now she understood. Why she was attacked. The fear in her eyes. They meant so much to each other. _Oh Chaos, bless these poor souls. So much has happened in so little time._

Whisper began to whimper. Her body felt as if it was filling with water. Her mouth wouldn’t move.

Tangle’s shoulders slumped. “Please...tell me it’s not true. Please…”

She began to shake. “Tangle...I…” She dropped her head.

“I’m sorry, Tangle. It...it’s true.”

Whisper realized that the hands were lowering. Her feet touched the ground, and their grip loosened. She fell to her knees. Sobs shook her body as the well finally overflowed. She couldn’t meet Tangle’s eyes.

“Why? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I couldn’t…I couldn’t put you in danger. Not again.”

Tangle clenched her fists. “Again?” Whisper flinched. “Bullshit, Whisper. I’ll fucking risk my life for you. Every time. What makes this any different from Mimic?”

Whisper was silent. Then she laughed. In fact, she couldn’t stop laughing. She had to put her hands on her knees to keep from rolling over in laughter.

This did not make Tangle any happier. “Hey! This isn’t some laughing matter, Whisper. I-”

She didn’t even finish before Whisper shoved her face close. Her face was dark. “Oh Tangle...how naïve. The things they will do to you...not even I could face them.”

“But Mimic-”

Whisper slammed her fists down. “ **MIMIC WAS JUST A MAN!** ” Tangle flinched. Whisper never yelled. Not at all. She stopped and looked up at Tikal. “Not even a priestess of her calibre could stand up to the Malaraks, much less the Zyniaks or the ruling Dvernyls. I couldn’t let them hurt you. Not like they hurt me.”

“But I would’ve, Whisper. I would’ve let them hurt me if it meant saving you. Why didn’t you tell me?” Her eyes welled up. “I thought we were...I thought we were past all the secrets. All the lies. Why?”

The tension in the room was asphyxiating. It filled every inch of their bodies. Not even the calm Tikal was immune to it.

Whisper sniffled. “I wanted to be loved...so bad. It...it took me so long to open up to anyone. At all. Especially after…” She took a breath. “You were the first friend I allowed myself to have. You’re the first girlfriend I’ve ever had. I couldn’t...I couldn’t bear the thought. Of losing you like that. Of...of suddenly becoming nothing to you. I didn’t want to become a number.” Her voice shook. “I wanted love. I wanted it and I still want it. And here I am, about to lose it. Not even the Diamond Cutters were super keen on keeping a demon in their ranks. Hell, even the Malaraks, my own damned family, did not love the way you did. No demon knows love like an angel does. And you were -- no, _are_...you _are_ my angel. I…I didn’t know whether you would love me the same if you kn-”

Tangle put a finger to Whisper’s lips. “Shhhh.” She had gotten down on her knees without Whisper noticing, and trailed her finger down to her side. “I do love you, dumbass. Don’t lie to me...or yourself. You knew it deep down.” Then she pressed her lips against hers.

For one fleeting moment, Whisper felt as close to heaven as a demon could get by herself. The stars, though invisible in the daytime, seemed to surround them. They had no eyes, but they seemed to be staring at them with fondness and admiration, like that of a mother to her child. The two embraced as if the other had returned from war.

Tangle untangled herself from Whisper’s grasp first. She reached for a bag on her hip, which Whisper hadn’t noticed until then. She undid the latch, then reached in and pulled out a small box, which fit comfortably in her palm. It took Whisper a moment to figure out what was happening.

Tangle’s face turned a light shade of pink, and she chuckled nervously. “Ahaha...I planned on asking later tonight after I met with Tikal, but...I can’t think of any better time than now.”

She opened the box. Inside was a ring.

Tears filled Whisper’s eyes. “Tangle…”

Tangle chuckled. “I know.”

“You know we might die soon, right?”

“I’d follow you to the ends of the earth to die with you.”

And just as soon as the small diamond on top gleamed in the light, Whisper felt her heart soar beyond even the cosmos. She whispered, half to herself,

“Then to the ends of the earth we shall go.”


	3. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Are things always as they seem?

“I think you chose a beautiful night for this, Whisper.”

The city lights shone all around, a colorful blend of advertisements and politicians lobbying for support, bowls of noodles and sparkly dresses, and the smiling faces of passersby laughing and enjoying themselves. The city came alive at night, and nobody wanted to miss it.

But that’s exactly what Tangle and Whisper were doing.

The window was frosted over, and the colors were jumbled and mashed together into a rainbow-colored ball of light. Tangle sighed audibly for what seemed like the hundredth time. “Can’t we just enjoy the night air? It’s such a nice n-”

“Tangle, you promised me this.”

“Right, right…”

Tangle finally turned her gaze from the city and looked over at Whisper, who was sitting on the living room floor surrounded by a variety of weaponry. Blades, arrows, everything one could think of. Tangle swore she saw a few old Wispons from the war in the corner, but they were so dilapidated and worn that it wouldn’t really do them much good to call them Wispons anymore. She grabbed her cup of coffee by the handle off the table and took a sip. 

Whisper herself was cleaning her own rifle. Tangle couldn’t even look at it without feeling a pang of sadness. A relic of when they were both very different people, in a very different time.

“You’d think we’re going to war with all these weapons everywhere!”

Whisper turned grimly towards Tangle. “We are.”

“It’s just a few demons! Come on now.”

Whisper stared at her unmoving.

“...okay, it might be a lot of demons. But we’re a team! We’re the best team to ever exist! We can do it, right?”

Tangle put on a goofy grin that melted even Whisper’s unflinching stare -- something only a funky lemur like Tangle could do. She smiled. “If only I had your confidence.”

The lemur placed the cup on the kitchen counter and vaulted over the table with her tail. She crossed over to Whisper, stepping over broken arrows and dull blades. “You’re already so brave for taking on what is essentially the entire domain of the Underworld. You’ll do great!” And with that, she gave Whisper a big ol’ smooch. “That’s repayment for date night.” She didn’t think Whisper’s face could get more red.

It was funny to her; despite having been officially dating for the better part of a year now, neither of them could even make advances towards each other without one of them getting flustered. Maybe it was just how they were. Whatever the reason, she didn’t mind. She loved when she could do that.

There was a knock at the door. Tangle turned and yelled, “Come in!”

The hinges creaked as the door opened to reveal Tikal. Whisper stared in awe at her appearance: she was dressed in a plain black long-sleeve shirt and denim jeans. Her long orange hair, originally tied back during the fight at the church, now flowed freely down to her shoulders. If she hadn’t taken a vow of celibacy as a priestess, she’d definitely be the talk of the town. Meanwhile, Whisper hadn’t even changed out of her pajamas, her sleep mask hanging around her neck. And Tangle was just wearing a bathrobe and a tank top.

Tangle seemed starstruck too; she stopped dead in her tracks upon seeing Tikal. “Hey! If I had known you’d be coming here looking like that, I’d have changed into some actual clothing! Why don’t you look like that all the time?”

Tikal chuckled. “A priestess of Chaos must sometimes hide her identity when out and about. No one would suspect me, looking like this.”

“Now why on Earth would anyone want to know you’re a priestess?”

Her smile faded. “Demons are always roaming the world. They have a lot of business to...attend to, on the overworld. They are especially common here, in this city. They run the mafia here.”

Whisper spoke up. “Is that the cult you mentioned last week, Tangle?”

Tikal flashed a look at Tangle, then sighed. “I suppose they have some cult-ish aspects. But they do a lot of the trafficking here. Drugs to keep the money rolling, and obviously people. But apart fr-”

Tangle interrupted. “Ohhhhh-kay. Back up. People? We have Mobian trafficking going on here?”

“Well, of course, dear. Didn’t your research tell you this?”

“Tell me what?”

“Demons tend to have...carnivorous tendencies, for lack of a better term. Aside from needing to eat in general, they also depend on the suffering of their...prey, to refuel some of their abilities. You did read the police reports on the three murders you found, right? The bodies were all eaten.”

Tangle’s eyes grew wider with every sentence. “The coroner’s reports were completely redacted. I could never have-”

Then, she flinched. Memories began to flood her brain. She remembered.

A drop of blood on the bathroom mirror, trailing down her misted-over reflection. She had glossed over it that night; they would’ve been late to the restaurant otherwise. But she had taken a long while in the bathroom. What was she doing there…?

They had taken the trash out a couple of hours ago. She remembered the putrid smell that came from the bathroom, and how Whisper insisted she deal with it, and how she refused to explain why.

Whatever was in the bathroom trash bin…

Tangle suddenly felt sick. _Had Whisper been devouring something alive in the fucking bathroom?_

She turned to Whisper for an answer, but she suddenly seemed very interested in the TV remote. She turned on the TV, and on the screen was Gill Levin interviewing a purple cat. She was in a lovely purple dress, and red heels and her eyes were a burning red-orange, like fire. Tikal laughed. “Oh, Blaze the Cat!”

Tangle attempted to distract herself from the revelation, and smiled, hoping she didn’t look too rattled. “Blaze? I love her!” When Whisper turned a questioning gaze on her, Tangle explained who she was. “She’s that really cool hero from the Sol Kingdom, remember? I told you about her a while back; we worked together once! It was AMAZING. But why is she here?”

Tikal shushed her as the interview proceeded. Levin began with, “So, the famous war hero from Sol! We’re honored to have you here in Northwood City. Tell me, what brings you here?”

“Oh, business. I have old friends here, and matters to attend to regarding my kingdom. I’ll be here for quite some time, and the city certainly looks lovely. It’s my first time here, did you know?”

“No, I did not! I hope you enjoy your stay; it’s really a beautiful place. Although I’m quite sad you won’t be able to visit Rose’s; it was what made this city shine, in my opinion.”

“Oh, yes.” She frowned slightly. “I will certainly regret not being able to go there. It was a shock, to say the least, to hear of the fire. I knew Rose; we were acquainted in Sol. It’s sad to see her life’s work gone so suddenly…”

“Things certainly won’t be the same around here without it. Now, might I ask about that beautiful red necklace you’re wearing? It looks dazzling on you.”

Blaze seemed put off by the question, but continued. “Oh, this? It’s just a gift from my mother. I adore it with all my heart. You’re a fan of jewelry, I assume?”

“I am, actually!” The camera zoomed in on it. The symbol on the necklace was of a lion, surrounded by words in another language. Must be the Sol language. It was hard to learn; Tangle knew that much. She noticed in the corner a snake in the shape of...something, but the camera flashed away before she could render it in her mind.

Whisper gasped.

Gill continued to gush over the necklace. “I’ll have to come to Sol someday and see the jewelry for myself; this is marvelous craftsmanship!”

Blaze chuckled. “We’ll be waiting for you!”

They laughed together, and after a quick outro, the segment ended and a commercial about soap began to run.

Whisper stood. “We need to go. Now.”

Tikal tilted her head. “Why? What’s the rush?”

Whisper didn’t answer. She simply grabbed her bag and began packing weapons. She ran to the kitchen, nearly bowling Tikal over, and began emptying the pantry. Tangle ran over as she was reaching for the noodles and grabbed her shoulder. “Whoa, simmer! What’s the rush?”

Whisper turned and faced Tangle. “That necklace. On Blaze. I recognized it. That’s not of Sol origin. That’s-”

Another knock at the door. 

All three of them slowly turned their heads towards the sound.

There was silence.

Then, a muffled voice from behind the door. “Tangle, are you home?”

It was Blaze. Tangle turned to Whisper, panicked. She put a finger in front of her lips. “Not a word,” she whispered.

Her heart was beating so fast she could barely stand it. Everything was swirling around her, and it felt like the ground would cave under her. Then she had an idea.

She moved towards the bedroom door, taking extra care in every step. When she had reached it, she beckoned Whisper and Tikal closer. They glanced at each other, then mimicked her movements.

She ushered them in as they reached the door, mouthing, “Stay here. Be quiet.” Whisper nodded, and Tikal slowly moved to sit on the floor.

Tangle closed the door, this time loudly enough for Blaze to hear. She walked up and opened the front door.

There stood Blaze. Same purple dress, same red heels. Same necklace. Behind her, a fancy white limousine was pulled up next to the curb. Her eyes lit up at the sight of Tangle. “Oh, were you sleeping? I’m sorry, I can come back later-“

“No, no, you’re fine! I was awake, it’s just been a lazy day. You know how it is.”

Blaze gave a tired smile. “I wish I could have those in Sol. Ah, but royalty is a duty, unfortunately.”

They stared at each other. Then Tangle began to laugh. Blaze blinked, then her smile grew into laughter. Soon, they were reconnecting as if it hadn’t been years since they’d last seen each other.

“I just saw your interview with Gill Levin on the news! You should’ve told me you were coming so soon!”

“Oh, I would’ve! But to be honest, this was sort of...sprung on me, you see. Work has its surprises.”

“Wack. But hey, welcome to Northwood! Your first time, huh? I could show you around when you have the chance.”

“I’d love that. But I do have a favor to ask of you.”

“What is it?”

Blaze reached into a pocket ( _that dress has pockets?? Oh man, I need to ask where she got that_ ) and pulled out a gold necklace. A man adorned the medallion, a wolf who quite frankly looked like he did not want his picture taken, much less his face engraved on a piece of jewelry. In the corner was a snake in the shape of an M. She recognized it from Whisper’s necklace. But she didn’t say that.

Blaze put it in Tangle’s hand. “This necklace is a symbol belonging to the Iron Stars. They’re a group of Sol criminals who’ve escaped and fled here. They’re highly dangerous, and they’re the reason I’m here. I know you can be trusted, and you can handle yourself. So I ask that if you see this necklace anywhere, then please get in contact with me. I’ll be here for a while looking for them, so it should hopefully be no issue.”

A lie. Tangle knew that. She chose her words carefully. “Criminals, huh? Right, well they’ll certainly regret meeting me! I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for them, don’t you worry!”

The words elicit a chuckle from Blaze. “I knew I could trust you. Thanks.” Suddenly, a ding. Blaze turns and pulls her phone out of her pocket. Checking it, she grimaces and says, “Shit. I gotta run. Maybe I’ll take you up on that offer to explore the city sometime.” She turns and half-jogs to the limousine. “See you later!”

“Wait! How am I supposed to contact you?”

“I’ll meet you here in a couple of days, give you my number! Bye!”

As they waved goodbye, Tangle couldn’t help but wonder what Blaze was really doing here.

-

Whisper took one look at the necklace. “Oh, that bitch.”

Tangle flinched. “What?”

“This is Casper’s. She fucking pilfered it. Swiped it like the greedy fuck she is. Couldn’t wait to get her grubby little paws on it, could she-“

“Whisper, calm down!”

She took a breath. Tangle gave the necklace to Tikal. She pocketed it.

“So what now?”

Whisper turned to the door. “We get the hell out of here, that’s what.”

“Back up. I just told Blaze we’d meet in a couple of days. I can’t-“

“You can certainly lie to her, just like she lied to your face.”

Tikal crossed her arms. “Tangle’s right, you know. We need to play along.”

“Like hell we will. She’s manipulating you, Tangle, mark my words. A demon always knows how.”

“Demon?”

“Didn’t you see her necklace? It’s got the snake in the corner. That’s the mark of demon’s gold. And it was in the shape of a D. You know what that means, don’t you?”

Tikal looked around nervously, but Tangle scoffed. “Well, enlighten me, Miss Demon Girl.”

Whisper’s blue eyes were cold like ice. “She’s from the Dvernyls, dammit. It means the ruling class knows we’re here.”

“It means we’re being hunted.”

-

There is a building on Clark Street. It is a nondescript, old brick tower. It used to be an office for a private eye who had passed away recently from lung cancer. Now it was abandoned. _It’s perfect,_ thought Blaze.

She turned away from the window. “Driver, please stop here.”

They exited the limo. While Blaze entered the building, the driver went around back and opened the trunk.

He came in lugging a big box on his shoulders, as Blaze stood and looked around. The entire ground floor was empty. No one was around.

Suddenly, a rustling from behind them. The driver and the cat spun around.

It was a rabbit. Probably homeless. His clothes were old and torn in places, and his boots were barely wearable. One of his front teeth was missing, and he looked disheveled and tired. He stood and stared at them confused.

Then his eyes lit up. He pointed towards the driver.

“Hey, you’s the one the cops are lookin’ for, huh? The biker from Rose’s?” He turned and began looking for the door. “I’m claimin’ that reward! I’m gon’ be RICH!” He spotted it and took one step towards the exit.

Quick as a flash, the Sol hero darted over and extended her claws. The rabbit’s throat immediately spurted blood, and he stumbled and fell, choking and sputtering, his hands gingerly hovering around his throat, almost questioning what happened. His throat slit, he slowly but surely stopped moving.

Blaze watched the whole ordeal closely. It dawned on her that she had just ended someone’s life just like that. It hit her like a sledgehammer when she realized, her heart wanting to sink, that she enjoyed it. Watching the fear in his eyes as he realized that he was dying, the blood pooling around his neck and the choking sounds he made...it was nothing short of euphoric, the whole experience.

“Your Highness?”

Blaze jumped. “Oh, Driver…a new pair of gloves please.” The driver pulled out a pair of white gloves from his pocket. “It’s unseemly of a princess to have blood all over her hands, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Now, do use the old ones to start the fire. I need to talk with Father.”

“Right away, Your Highness.”

He handed the gloves to her. She slipped her hands in and listened to the sounds of the fire starting. When the sounds of deep, hellish laughter began to fill the room, she turned.

The fire burned brightly. So brightly, in fact, that most non-demon eyes would be burnt to a crisp looking at it. And though he was not visible, his voice permeated the room. “Daughter.”

“Father.”

“How are things in...Northwood?”

“Things are going according to plan. I have an old friend here who will be of much help, moving forward. She’s strong and loyal, but not too bright. Didn’t even question when I gave her the necklace. Now she believes she’s hunting criminals, and I’ll be able to track her movements wherever she goes. Plus...it’ll be quite the experience when she finds out the truth far too late.”

“Do you plan on taking her prisoner?”

“Yes, for my own...uses.” She smirked. “And whoever else might be helping her.”

“She has allies?”

“She’s quite the friendly person. I’m sure she has many friends she can call upon for help.”

“The more, the merrier. Remember, girl, you’re here to hunt the Malaraks. Taking food isn’t your concern here.”

“Oh, Father, please. At least promise me her. Everyone else you can have.”

“Hmmm...I shall consider it. First, bring me another Malarak necklace. Then we shall talk.”

“Yes, Father.”

Just as quickly as it roared into life, the fire sputtered and dissolved.

Blaze turned to the exit. “Driver, please rid us of the body. Make sure no one can figure out we were ever here.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

She opened the door. So began her mission.

The Malaraks were as good as dead.

-

END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, you've hit the end! genuinely hope you enjoyed this lol. first like...original AU I've made for Sonic, and I can't wait to show you more. thnx for taking the time to read it <333


End file.
